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Container ship burns amid fears of eco-disaster, 3 sailors critical (Lead)
Mumbai, March 8 (IANS) Amid fears of a potential ecological disaster, a container ship continued to burn on Thursday off Agatti island in the Arabian Sea, with Indian officials revealing that its cargo was of dangerous class.
The ship is laden with containers classified as “dangerous” and “very hazardous to human beings”, capable of emitting poisons that can kill humans within a short time, besides being corrosive in nature.
However, the officials ruled out the possibility of any environment issues at the moment and pointed out that “the hull of the ship is not affected by the fire and only the containers are seen burning”.
“We are hopeful of dousing the fire within another day or so and assess the situation after that,” said an official declining to be identified.
The tragedy has occurred at the doorstep of the eco-sensitive Lakshadweep Islands, off the south-west coast of India.
The officials could not confirm whether the fire and the intense heat it has generated, which has already melted many containers, may have weakened the ship’s hull and other critical metallic parts.
Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard said the condition of three rescued sailors was critical as they may have inhaled the toxic fumes after the fire erupted late on Tuesday.
Working round-the-clock, the Coast Guard has deployed a high speed interceptor boat from Vizhinjam Port to pick up the trio from a foreign vessel, MV ALS Ceres, and rush them to a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.
The remaining 19 rescued crewmen are being taken to Kochi, also in Kerala. The Coast Guard suspects the toxic fumes may have affected all the sailors, four of whom remain missing.
The three whose condition is critical Deepu Jayan of India, Sukun Suwannapeng of Thailand and Alan Rey Palce Gabunilas of the Philippines.
Presently, the fire-fighting operations are being carried out from a safe distance by the Coast Guard Shoor to avoid coming in contact with the toxic fumes and flames.
According to preliminary information, the blaze erupted in one of the decks carrying the chemicals.
Late on Tuesday, following a massive explosion, a fire broke out on the Singapore-flagged vessel Maersk Honam, carrying a cargo of chemicals en route to Suez in Egypt.
While 23 sailors were rescued, four others, including an Indian, are still missing and a maritime and aerial search with helicopters and an aircraft has been undertaken to trace them.
The intensity of the blaze, with flames leaping more than 25 metres into the air, was so strong that the sizzling temperature melted many containers on board.
The Coast Guard found some empty lifeboats floating in the vicinity but there was no sign of the missing crewmen.
–IANS
qn/mr
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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